Fasteset way to rip me

[SagaLore]

Originally posted by: Fausto1

Originally posted by: iamme
i have a question. someone told me using dumbells to bench press is harder than a long bar (barbell?). is this true? is there some sort of conversion to estimate how much you are lifting with dumbells?

It's harder because you have to stabilize each 'bell individually. There's no hard and fast conversion, just start light and mess around with the weights until you're comfortable. It's awkward at first, so start light or you end up with a dumbell on your nose.

I was doing a set of dumbells and when I was done, I sat up and landed them in my lap. 🙁

Then on my next set I just laid there and my bro-in-law took the dumbell from my left hand, and I went flying off the bench the other way since I lost my counterweight. 🙁

 

[everman]

What's a good rate to increase the amount you lift, say primarily free weights? ie: after a week at weight x, increase weight by a %?
And would a barbell or dumbells be better for increasing mass?

 

[Rudee]

Originally posted by: everman
What's a good rate to increase the amount you lift, say primarily free weights? ie: after a week at weight x, increase weight by a %?
And would a barbell or dumbells be better for increasing mass?

A good start would be when your # of repetitions has increased by 30%. i.e if you were capable of doing 12 reps on a given weight, and can now do 16 comfortably, it's time to up your weight high enough to allow you to revert back to 12 reps.

 

[StageLeft]

RudeeI do legs but not as much as I should. I've had a bad lower back over the past several years that, while still able to do anything, gives me a little pain. I've recently figured out that it was caused by sleeping on my stomach so having corrected that it's getting better but I wanted to wait a while before going hard on squats again. I detest them but do them a little anyway. Leg press I used to love but it pushes on my lower back as well so hopefully I can resume them again.

Squats I used to do quite a bit but...well you can see where this is going. I used to do sumo squats because I found it nearly impossible to keep good form doing standard ones.

 

[Rudee]

Originally posted by: Skoorb
RudeeI do legs but not as much as I should. I've had a bad lower back over the past several years that, while still able to do anything, gives me a little pain. I've recently figured out that it was caused by sleeping on my stomach so having corrected that it's getting better but I wanted to wait a while before going hard on squats again. I detest them but do them a little anyway. Leg press I used to love but it pushes on my lower back as well so hopefully I can resume them again.

Squats I used to do quite a bit but...well you can see where this is going. I used to do sumo squats because I found it nearly impossible to keep good form doing standard ones.

Skoorb - If your interested, I got a killer high-intensity quad routine that takes less than 5 minutes, but is guaranteed to put at least a inch on your quads in 6 weeks. PM me for details. I guarantee if you follow it to a T, you'll be rewarded with some nice new leg mass in a short amount of time. It should be fine for your back.

 

[SagaLore]

Originally posted by: Rudee

Originally posted by: everman
What's a good rate to increase the amount you lift, say primarily free weights? ie: after a week at weight x, increase weight by a %?
And would a barbell or dumbells be better for increasing mass?

A good start would be when your # of repetitions has increased by 30%. i.e if you were capable of doing 12 reps on a given weight, and can now do 16 comfortably, it's time to up your weight high enough to allow you to revert back to 12 reps.

My bro-in-law isn't even allowing me that. He use to weightlift a few years ago so a lot of the stuff I'm struggling with is really easy on him. So he's pushing me to the limits... every time... and he thinks more always means better, but that's now what I've learned. Like we're supposed to do 10, 8, 6 - but he does 15 to warm up, then 10, 8, 6, 4. And he wants me to do inclines, flats, and declines in the same day. So I'm working my pecs with 15 sets, most of them with as heavy weight as possible. And now we added dumbells. And then on off days he wants me to do pushups. Maybe this is why my arm is coming out of socket? I've been told by other weightlifters that you can actually wear your muscle down and decrease it's size if you overdo it...

 

[SagaLore]

Originally posted by: Skoorb
RudeeI do legs but not as much as I should. I've had a bad lower back over the past several years that, while still able to do anything, gives me a little pain. I've recently figured out that it was caused by sleeping on my stomach so having corrected that it's getting better but I wanted to wait a while before going hard on squats again. I detest them but do them a little anyway. Leg press I used to love but it pushes on my lower back as well so hopefully I can resume them again.

Squats I used to do quite a bit but...well you can see where this is going. I used to do sumo squats because I found it nearly impossible to keep good form doing standard ones.

Scoorb - what kind of pillow do you use at night? I was having a lot of back and neck pains for awhile, but then I got myself one of those countoured foam pillows, not the normal foam, but that space-age stuff that conforms to your head's shape and has memory retention based on how much heat goes into it. It has really helped, even my chiropractor has noticed a difference in my neck.

Also, when you wake up, do you get a general aching in more than just your back? Do your muscles feel sluggish, sore, or weak the rest of the day?

 

[SagaLore]

Originally posted by: Rudee

Originally posted by: Skoorb
RudeeI do legs but not as much as I should. I've had a bad lower back over the past several years that, while still able to do anything, gives me a little pain. I've recently figured out that it was caused by sleeping on my stomach so having corrected that it's getting better but I wanted to wait a while before going hard on squats again. I detest them but do them a little anyway. Leg press I used to love but it pushes on my lower back as well so hopefully I can resume them again.

Squats I used to do quite a bit but...well you can see where this is going. I used to do sumo squats because I found it nearly impossible to keep good form doing standard ones.

Skoorb - If your interested, I got a killer high-intensity quad routine that takes less than 5 minutes, but is guaranteed to put at least a inch on your quads in 6 weeks. PM me for details. I guarantee if you follow it to a T, you'll be rewarded with some nice new leg mass in a short amount of time. It should be fine for your back.

I'm interested

 

[Rudee]

Originally posted by: SagaLore

Originally posted by: Rudee

Originally posted by: everman
What's a good rate to increase the amount you lift, say primarily free weights? ie: after a week at weight x, increase weight by a %?
And would a barbell or dumbells be better for increasing mass?

A good start would be when your # of repetitions has increased by 30%. i.e if you were capable of doing 12 reps on a given weight, and can now do 16 comfortably, it's time to up your weight high enough to allow you to revert back to 12 reps.

My bro-in-law isn't even allowing me that. He use to weightlift a few years ago so a lot of the stuff I'm struggling with is really easy on him. So he's pushing me to the limits... every time... and he thinks more always means better, but that's now what I've learned. Like we're supposed to do 10, 8, 6 - but he does 15 to warm up, then 10, 8, 6, 4. And he wants me to do inclines, flats, and declines in the same day. So I'm working my pecs with 15 sets, most of them with as heavy weight as possible. And now we added dumbells. And then on off days he wants me to do pushups. Maybe this is why my arm is coming out of socket? I've been told by other weightlifters that you can actually wear your muscle down and decrease it's size if you overdo it...

More doesn't mean better. i.e. it's not how long you work out, but how hard you work out. The best scenario for building mass for the "natural" bodybuilder is to get in the gym, work out using moderate to high intensity for no longer than 1 hour, then go home and grow. Unless you have a genetically superior recovery system - which 95% of the population doesn't have - 15 sets for a single bodypart will do more harm than good. I'm a strong advocate of Reverse Pyramids, in which after a brief warmup, you move to you heaviest weight first, then reduce weight by approx 15% each decending set. Total sets per bodypart is no more than 6. Intensity is the key.

 

[StageLeft]

My bro-in-law isn't even allowing me that. He use to weightlift a few years ago so a lot of the stuff I'm struggling with is really easy on him. So he's pushing me to the limits... every time... and he thinks more always means better, but that's now what I've learned. Like we're supposed to do 10, 8, 6 - but he does 15 to warm up, then 10, 8, 6, 4. And he wants me to do inclines, flats, and declines in the same day. So I'm working my pecs with 15 sets, most of them with as heavy weight as possible. And now we added dumbells. And then on off days he wants me to do pushups. Maybe this is why my arm is coming out of socket? I've been told by other weightlifters that you can actually wear your muscle down and decrease it's size if you overdo it...

Yes overtraining is bad and a waste of time. WHen I started working out I worked out 6 days a week doing a half body split. Each muscle was worked every 48 hours with 90 minute weight workouts. It worked well for a few months (I was 16 so anything works when you're that age), but it was terrible overtraining. Now a muscle group gets worked no more than every 5 days and I never do more than 7 sets or so. My weight workouts take around 30 minutes, doing 1/3 body each workout.

15 sets for a body part really is just unnecessary. I found it hard to throttle back my workouts fearing I'd get nowhere and lose strength but that definitely didn't happen.

 

[GoingUp]

try a higher weight and fewer reps if you want to get stronger. I am doing 3 sets of 6 reps at a higher weight. I added 20 pounds to my bench press in 2 weeks. Friday I am trying to go up another 5-10 pounds.

If you want some ideas, PM me as I learned some new techniques that really are working well!

 

[SagaLore]

Originally posted by: Skoorb

My bro-in-law isn't even allowing me that. He use to weightlift a few years ago so a lot of the stuff I'm struggling with is really easy on him. So he's pushing me to the limits... every time... and he thinks more always means better, but that's now what I've learned. Like we're supposed to do 10, 8, 6 - but he does 15 to warm up, then 10, 8, 6, 4. And he wants me to do inclines, flats, and declines in the same day. So I'm working my pecs with 15 sets, most of them with as heavy weight as possible. And now we added dumbells. And then on off days he wants me to do pushups. Maybe this is why my arm is coming out of socket? I've been told by other weightlifters that you can actually wear your muscle down and decrease it's size if you overdo it...

Yes overtraining is bad and a waste of time. WHen I started working out I worked out 6 days a week doing a half body split. Each muscle was worked every 48 hours with 90 minute weight workouts. It worked well for a few months (I was 16 so anything works when you're that age), but it was terrible overtraining. Now a muscle group gets worked no more than every 5 days and I never do more than 7 sets or so. My weight workouts take around 30 minutes, doing 1/3 body each workout.

15 sets for a body part really is just unnecessary. I found it hard to throttle back my workouts fearing I'd get nowhere and lose strength but that definitely didn't happen.

When you throttled back, did you see a faster muscle growth response? When we first started working out, I was sore but it made me sleep better. Now, instead of sore, I ache right after the workout and am really uncomfortable sleeping, I keep waking up at night, and I feel drained the next day. 🙁 I just feel at this pace I'm draining all my sugar reserves.

 

[LaLaLand]

Stop crying, no pain no gain. Be happy you have a live motivator.

 

[SagaLore]

Originally posted by: Gobadgrs
try a higher weight and fewer reps if you want to get stronger. I am doing 3 sets of 6 reps at a higher weight. I added 20 pounds to my bench press in 2 weeks. Friday I am trying to go up another 5-10 pounds.

If you want some ideas, PM me as I learned some new techniques that really are working well!

sure, ideas are welcome

too many people to pm... if you guys have some secrets, you pm me - or email me 😉

 

[SagaLore]

Originally posted by: LaLaLand
Stop crying, no pain no gain. Be happy you have a live motivator.

Oh i'm not really crying. 🙂 I'm very happy I have a spotter, I just want to make sure I'm not using what remaining hours I have at night in vain.